Remember this stuff?
I normally prefer smooth finishes or at least a fine, tight weave; coarser weaves seem, rightly or not, somewhat outmoded and more difficult to work with because they fray easily and don’t always take shaping as well. When I first came across this cloth from Holland and Sherry I was a bit skeptical, but it came highly recommended by someone I trust, and had been favorably compared to Minnis’ Fresco by others (another cloth I am tepid toward) so I decided to give it a go.
I’m glad I did.
I struggled a bit with the fullness in the sleeves on the first coat I cut and I wasn’t happy with the finished results so I ripped out the sleeves, cut them down, and set them back in shirt-sleeve style and was very happy with it so I cut another coat with this kind of shoulder expression in mind. I have to say that I’m really pleased with the way this cloth is making up- it is sturdy and can take a bit of a beating (good for travel) but is soft and fluid enough and breathes fairly well.
Sometimes it’s good to step outside of your comfort zone.
When it’s done I’ll try to get better shot with better lighting because this doesn’t do the coat justice. (See a tutorial on lighting clothing shots here which was helpfully submitted by its author. I will try not take that as a way of saying “dude- your photos suck” LOL)
that looks very nice indeed. i'm curious as to how you baste your canvas in, in particular around the chest area, as i often see more than one row extending down from the shoulder, excluding the row around the armscye.
@s- the handling of the fronts as you baste are far more important than the number of rows of stitching used- if you are working in the right length and/or shortness in the right areas, I don't feel that you need a million rows to hold it in place.
Sia il tessuto che la lavorazione della giacca, sono perfetti!!!
Bravissimo!!!!
Taking shape really really nicely!!
how do you know if there is too much fullness to draw in on a sleeve? Do you cut them down from the hindarm seam? thanks for getting back into the blog and posting more frequently.
What happened with the concave shoulders?
(It's a fantastic jacket. I am only jealous!)
/Anders.
@francy847- grazie tanto!
@brendan- thank you. Unfortunately, I think the best answer to your question is merely, one knows from experience. Also, the way we cut down the sleeve depends on desired results- most often at the elbow seam, but in this case, because I wanted to take away all the roping I cut from the top of the cap as well. Again, experience leads us in shaping the sleeve.
@Anders- Thank you. This cloth had a roundness and a character which suggested a slightly droopier look, and even though the technique is shirt-sleeve does not mean there is no padding- my shoulders still need a bit but I still get a fairly soft look.
Thanks for the reply. Does the shirt sleeve shoulder have any wadding at all in the sleeve head? Also what do you think of the heavily pleated/puckered sleeve head like Kiton does? Im not sure Im a fan myself but I like the idea. I love the way you finish your sleeves, always beautifully done.
@brendan- usually, no, but depends on the cloth. I'm not a fan of the pleating (we see more of it on Borelli than Kiton). And thank you.
I remember Kiton being on your list a while ago…..could we see one soon? Borelli would be nice to look at too!! This is an expensive hobby!
@brendan- I bought a Kiton and decided it wasn't worth a blog post. Borelli might actually be interesting, but you are right- this is starting to get expensive.
In what way was the Kiton not worth a blog post? Was it just too underwhelming?
Great post. Thank you for it. What are your thoughts about this cloth in comparison to Minnis fresco and to H&S Crispaire. I ordered a suit in the crispaire, but it has supposedly changed and so I'm on the lookout for other, similar fabrics.
Hi
I have a question on how you basted the jacket's front parts to the canvas. Why didn't you baste the area between the welt pocket and the lapel roll? Do you think that's unnecessary or had you taken out some of the threads already when you made the photo? Just curious..
JR
@Benjamin E.- let's just leave it at that.
@Mark- I haven't worked with either- I'm not fond of the very dry hand. But someone reliable who has prefers this stuff other those.
@London- I don't feel there is a need for extra basting in that area, but everybody has their own way of working.
Hi Jeffrey, excellent post as usual.
Just wondering on the fabric, would you elaborate more on the weight, seasons and is it hard-wearing fabric or not.
The jacket seems sharp.
NEW POSTS PLEASE!!! I'm addicted…
@Hanes-Thanks- not sure about the weight, I think about 12 oz. So far it has been wearing well, but let me travel with it a bit more before passing judgement.
@Anonymous- I'll get on that.
Thank you for another great post. I find all of your blogs fascinating; your appreciation and passion for your trade shines through all of your work. Please continue to enlighten us with your findings.
May I ask about the pricing of the Holland and Sherry cloth you used? What are their average costs for a suiting length? I peaked around on their website and, as expected, no figures were mentioned. Thanks again for your time and expertise.